Cushion-tire.



im un. 1s, 1901.

APrLmA'rIox.

Patented sepa 22,1908.`

JOHN G. SMITH, OF tiltll, XEBRASKA.

CUSHION-TIRE.

. act, description of'the invention, such as'.\\il1 enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malie and use the same.`

)I v invention relates to improvements in cushion tiresfo'r the rims of automobiles and also adapted for use on the wheels of other vehicles, and it consists in the construction, combination and arrangement ot" devices hereinafter described and claimed..

In the accompanying drawings, -Figure 1 is partly an elevation and partly a sectional View of a portion of a cushion tire embodvinor my improvements; and Fig. 'l is a transverse sectional View of the same.

in accordance with my invention, l provide a suitable inelastic rim, which is here shown as composed -of an intermediate wooden rim 1, an inner iron or steel rim 2, and an outer iron or steel rim 3said rims 1, '.2 and 3 being secured together. by bolts 4. Around the said outer rim are a series of radially-movable spring cushion tread elements '5, each of which is independent of all the others and comprises an outer, substantially U-shaped portion G and an inner reinforced portion 7,-whieh extends across the central portion thereof and is secured thereto, as by means of rivets S and the nuts 16, hereinafter referred to, on the outer ends of plungers 1-1. Each of the said tread elements has a tread face 9 and arms 1t), which arms are disposed slightly without the planes of the. sides of the inelastic rim. Aln con nection with each tread member are empioyed a pair of plungers 11. The said plungcrs are of tubular form, have their outer ends closed, formed with shoulders' 12 and with a screw-threaded projection 13, and theiriniierends are open and are provided with exterior ann nlar tlanges 14. The screwt'hreaded projections- 13 extend through openings 15 in the inner reint`oreed portion '7 ot the tread members, and nuts 16 are secured ou the said projections and are slightly countersun'k in openings 1T in the outer portions 6 of the tread members. 'lhe rivets S and the nuts 1G project from the tread members, increase the tractive power of the wheel, and alsoyscrve to prevent skiddinr.

. ()p enings 1S, which are rarliiil with refi UUTED i STAEEENT erenee to the. wheel, :eXtend tl'iroughthe wooden member 1 of the' rmi andthe Outer rin; I?- ln the said openingsare secured externniv-threaded, tubular guide sleeves 19,

whichhave pol 'gonal hitbs "20,' adapted to' Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept?. 22, 1908. i Application mea man 18, 1907` seria; No. 362,898. 'i f'if f2 V51 be engaged by a wrench and'to bear on'vth outer side of the outer rim 3. itwill be obserrefc-bv reference to the drawings that the said 4uitle, sleeves extend f only partly thc. i *the openings 1S "and that -the han r perate in the said guide sleeves'. `he inner ends of said guide sleeves' a'reser-v rated, as at. '21,. andare engagedby the flanges 14 at' the plungers when the latter are forced outwardly 'by the springs hereinafter described. The said flanges 14 atthe inner ends ol" the plungers 'l1 operate inthe inner portions of the openingsA 1S.- Iii'the said inner ends of the. op'eningslS are springs '22, which bear against the inner endsof the :ers and also againsttherim l at points d plugs 23 which -are secured iu open- .n the inner rim coincident with said openings 1S. Smaller springs "24 are also emph` ed', each of which has its outer portion in the bore of one ot' the plungers and its inner portion within and spaced froln'one- .of :Ene springs l2 and bearing against 'the inzit-s' rim '.2 around one 'of the' plugs 5' 'lhe said springs coact with vthe 'splings'fZ-to press the plunfgcrs and hence a so the tread ierzix'rs outwardly aud`to` yieldai l vsup por: he tread members.' tion of each plunger 11 is a spring 25, w -rich hears between the inner side of one of the tread members and the outer cud or head of one i the guide sleeves. These springs 25 a so coact with the )rings 22 and 24.

I employ a pair ot plungers, guide sleeves and their coacting irings, in connection with each tread memlier, andbetween the saifi pairs of guide sleeves and plungers I err-.ploy also a reinforcing spring 26, the inn-sr end of which is in an opening A.27 in the weeaien rim 1, a registering o enlng in the outer rim, and the outer en( of which is '.Tn bolts 4, which are employed to secure On the outer por- `steil from the rim and are cushioned by 'visii and 'enable the vehicle to ride easily.

the inner and outer 2, 3, to tlie intermediate Wooden rim 1, are disposed between the guide sleeves 19 of adjacent tread members and the heads tof said bolts being interposed between the heads of said guide sleeves serve to lock the latter and prevent them from turning and Working loose in .the screw-threaded portions of the openinGs- 18.

I The serrated inner ends of the guide s eeves r of such plunffers and against which the tlanges v14 of the plungersv strike, prevent thev clicking sounds which would otherwise result from the concussion plugs 23 enable oil to,- be placed in the openf ings 18 to lubricste the plungers and guide sleeves.v

From the foregoing description, taken in vconnection with theaccompanying drawings, vthe constructiona'nd operation of the invention will be reatiiA- understood Witliout requiring a more extended explanation. Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details-of construction may Y be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as dencd b 'v the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters-Patent is,-

- 1. A cushion tire comprising a rim having a series of radially movable s ringcush ioned tread elements arran ed t erearound in openings therein, and eac i comprising an 'outer appi'oxiniatel)AT U-shaped member with an inner re-inforcing member secured thercto, and a plurality of spring-'pressed plungers secured at. one end to each of said tread ele- 'men'ts'and operable at their other ends said rim. Y

2. A cushion tire comprising a rim having a series of radially movable spring-cushetieneessi' guide sleeves. T liein openings therein, and eac i comprising an outer approximately U-shaped member with an inner re-inforcing member secured there- '-to, aY plurality`of`t@lar lungers having.,r closed: outer, ends provider with' reduced screw-threaded projections for engagement with said tread members, the inner ends of said plungers being open,'springs arranged in said plungers and bearing on the bottoms of the openings'in said rims, and larger springs arranged in said openings and surrounding end on said lungers.

3. 'A cushion tire comprising ia rim having a series of radially movable s ring-cushioned tread elements arranoed t erearound in openings therein, and eaczli comprising an outer approximately U-shaped member withA to, a plurality of tubular lungers havin closed outer ends provider with reduce screw-threaded projections for engagement -With said tread members, the inner ends of said plungers bein Jr open and rovided with exterior' annular anges, gui e sleeves arranged in the'openings in said rim and in which the plungers operate, the inner ends of said guide sleeves being serrated for engagement by the flanges on said plungers to presaid first named springs and bearing at oneY ioned" tread' elements' arran ed therearoundY an inner re--inforcing member secured therevent clicking resultin@r from connection of 

